Breathe

The Flame

It was almost Christmas and I couldn't wait. Not even Dana could make me upset. We had seven days left until break started. Seven days.

I couldn't focus on school with Christmas break being in only six days and 14 hours. It was that close. I guess me basically drooling over Christmas was distracting for Summer since she kicked me. For a tiny person she could do some serious damage to your shins.

Summer moved here two years ago from Washington, and has been my best friend since she told Matt Bates to stick it where the sun don't shine. I can't stand Matt so we instantly clicked over our shared hatred for the class ass.

"Laye, could you please sit here?" Mrs. Ryan told me, with a blank face.

Mrs. Ryan and I have a love-hate relationship, but mostly hate. Well she hates me, I 'love' her, she is always so kind, and generous. Like that one time she stole the school dance money. According to her it was spent on things like new textbooks-I can guarantee that she used the money to buy pregnancy tests.

Her husband may be on 'business' trips but she isn't. And let's just say I may have pointed this out to her more times than I would like to admit...

Reluctantly I did my walk of shame to the front of the class with my head down.

I took one of the empty seats at a table up front but Mrs. Ryan glared at me even more. Her eyes were throwing daggers into my red face waiting for the lecture I was going to get.

"Ms. Woods were you even listening?!" She yelled. I started to talk but was only cut off by her ranting, "No you weren't because you were talking to Summer weren't you?!" Before I could begin to defend Summer she started yelling again. "I told you to sit on the floor! Right here next to my desk so I can see you!" Bitch.

My eyes stayed trained on the ground as I made my way to Mrs. Ryan's desk, and sat down on the dirty white tiles. As soon as I sat down Mrs. Ryan began to rant about how kids need to respect adults more. I sighed. This was going to be a long talk.

The room had gone completely silent as I felt eyes on me. The familiar feeling of someone trying to kill me with their eyes told me that the she-devil was glaring at me. Quietly I raise my head and see the fuming figure of Mrs. Ryan.

Great.
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What really saved me in Science was not sweet talking the hag it was the fact that Matt showed up to class late, with fake blood on his throat. Mrs. Ryan could've went into Cardiac Arrest right then, because Matt's one of her favorites.

When we recovered enough to ask what the hell just happened, he just said 'what blood', then began giggling for about seven minutes.

He was totally stoned.

The smile I was trying to hide fell when Mrs.Ryan went on with her lesson, and didn't say anything. Are you kidding me Lady?!!!!!!!

Before I knew it I was in the next class with Mr. Hanson who was the middle aged short guy that taught Math. He believed in the old teaching methods. Needless to say he was a pain in my ass. Always talking about how when he was little he had to walk three miles to school, and how hard his life was.

We get it the 1801 was not a strong point for the United States. Our lives are tough too stop complaining and do what you're paid for.

This class seemed to drag on forever. It was like he couldn't stop talking, he liked the sound of his voice too much. He was over-explaining something about variables that I was tuning out, when I was started talking to Faith.

Faith was on my soccer team before I tore my ACL, and had to quit. She, and I had been friends for years, and spent most of our time arguing about whether cheese should go on popcorn. Faith was a firm believer in the eating of popcorn with cheese. I was not.

"Have you seen Michelle today?" Faith whispered.

Michelle is Faith's long-time girlfriend, that Faith is trying desperately to break up with. Don't get me wrong Michelle's nice, and whatever but she's very clingy, and Faith likes her space.

"No, I think she's at the funeral today." I say softly.

Michelle's abuja had been sick for the last few months, and Faith didn't have the heart to tell her she wanted to end things. Really though, who could blame her?

The rest of the class we talked about everything we could think of. It made the pain of hearing Mr. Hanson teaching more like a dull throb instead of feeling like a stabbing victim.

________
It was hard but I survived second period Math.

By the time I got to third period English, I was about to pee myself because I had to go since math class. I had Summer in English, because bribing the secretary will get you places in life, like Summer in English.

Ms. River was my favorite teacher on the face of the Earth. She was always helpful, and she would get frustrated with the bastards in my class too. That's why I liked her, she wasn't there to make friends with the students, she was there to teach.

I was in the middle of typing my research paper when I heard buzzes. They were faint but hard to ignore.

When I looked up from my computer there seemed to be a layer of fog separating everybody in the classroom from one another. It felt like I was looking at a filter.

The air felt like it was somehow heavier, there was a weird smell too. I didn't know how to describe it but I knew I didn't like it.

As I looked around and tried to pinpoint the smell my classmates began to look around the room like they knew something was off too.

I looked over at Ms. River who had a panicked look on her face, and then I watched my classmates closer and saw that they all seemed on edge. Something was about to happen.

It was only when the smoke curled out from the bottom of the doorway, that I put two and two together.

There was a fire.

The school was on fire.

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What do you think so far?
xx Grape